Sherry+HertleLBF

Utilizing surveymonkey, SDSU students from EDTEC 670, Exploratory Learning Through Simulation and Games, administered the “Learning, Boredom, and Fun” (LBF) survey to 231 individuals. The study was comprised of 37.9% males and 62.1% Females ranging in age from 7 years to 67 years in age. Each respondent was asked to describe a boring learning event and a fun learning event in their lives. The data was reviewed using the survey monkey report tools.
 * Executive Summary**

The data collected from the LBF survey indicated that learners across the board experienced boredom when they were expected to listen, watch AND sit still. Learners that reported a fun learning event almost unanimously indicated that they were allowed to move around and interact with the learning environment through a variety of methods.

Essentially, learners that were having fun reported that they were able to interact with their learning environment in the form of an activity and where more engaged in the content of instruction. Learners who cited boring experiences where not participating in any activities and were less engaged.

**What Makes Learning Boring?** The Boring experiences seemed to have a common set of expectations, learners were EXPECTED to listen (91.7%), watch (72.6%), sit still (73.4%)and remember(67%).

It Boring experiences, learners were not expected to Interact with other learners (69.3%), Interact with some artifact or technology (64%), Move around (88.10%), perform or present (78.2%) or think creatively (44.1%).

These responses are indicative of a passive learning environment which assumes learners enter the course with empty minds void of prior knowledge, the instructor who is considered an expert in his or her discipline is expected to fill up the minds of the learners often through lecture. Learner’s activities are limited to recording and absorbing the instructor’s knowledge.

1.	**Survey respondents reported that formal instruction where instructors read from the training materials is a key element in the experiences labeled “boring.”** Scott, a 30 year old male, for example described attending a series of mandatory seminars at work where the training was given in a series of presentations by a guest speaker, who paraphrased the manual given to the employees. Another respondent recalled a college course where the instructor would read power point slides to the class for the entire hour citing specifically how the instructor did not engage the class by asking questions or presenting evidence of how the information applies to real life situations.

2.	**Survey respondents reported that lecture style classes that lack interactive activities to reinforce learning is another element in the experience being labeled as “boring.”** Ava A, 32 year old female, recalls a mandatory training course for project managers where learners never had the opportunity to interact with one another or participate in any group activities. Ava found this course extremely boring and had difficulty concentrating on the material. She said, “I am more of a hands on learner, I will lose focus if there is little to no group interaction.” In another example, Masher, a 36 year old male described a lecture on how to use a web 2.0 website. The instructor didn't log in to the site but only offered a verbal description of the how to use the site. The actual website was never accessed. Masher said “when learning about computer technology, I really need to both see it, and try it.”

3.	**Adult learners surveyed reported ineffective use of power point during lectures where indicative a “boring” class.**Joel R., 31 year old male describes a workshop he took on working in a collaborative school using the professional learning community model. He recounts the drudgery of sitting through a lecture where he was given copies of the PowerPoint presentation to review as the instructor read from the slides verbatim. He described the slides as “boring because it was long, and full of plain PowerPoint slides with information I had already seen earlier.”

4.	**Survey respondents reported that Instruction that fails to engage learners in critical thinking is also a characteristic of a “boring” class.** DG describes her college history instructor’s lectures as “in no way thought provoking. He overloaded us with trivial information and failed to show the bigger picture of these events in history.” She said every lecture consisted of a PowerPoint presentation that the professor would read from verbatim. The slides contained huge amounts of information and lectures consisted of “mindless copying of the text without anytime to develop thoughts about what was actually being written.”

**5. Survey results indicated that instructors who delivered lectures in a monotone voice made learning boring**  Rosie, 44 year old female recalls her experience in high school social studies when her teacher would read in a monotone voice the entire class. She could not focus on the lesson her mind kept wondering. Honkeycat recalls a similar experience in high school geometry. She said "He was extremely monotone and didn't engage students in any discussions or participation exercises. I loved math in school, but I hated the class, not because of the work, but because of the instructor."

**What Makes Learning Fun?** The LBF survey revealed during a fun learning experience learners were also EXPECTED to listen, watch and remember however unlike the "boring" learning events remember, they also engaged in engage in movement (48.7%), interacted with others learners (69.6%), the instructor (68.7%) and/or an artifact of sorts (57.1), as well as think both critically(65.8%) and creatively(65.5%).

Unlike the boring learning event where respondents indicated they were expected to sit still 73.4% of the time, during a fun learning event respondents noted that they were only expected to st still 14% of the time and were actually expected to move around almost half the time. Clearly there is a strong connection between fun and allowing learners the opportunity to move around.

The responses recorded are indicative of an active learning environment which allows learners to collaborate with other students to discover how the information in the class can be applied to new situations in the real world. The instructor is a coach and a facilitator rather than a talking text.

1.	**Survey respondents reported that instruction having the opportunity to engage in hands on learning is a key element in the experience being labeled as “fun”** Carol for example describes learning how to sew in a workshop offered at the local high school after hours. What she liked most was that she could just get in there and learn. Carol said she in a hands on learner and has trouble learning things if she can’t interact with the material. In sewing class learners had their own sewing station and could choose their own patterns; the instructor was there to guide you when you needed it.

2.	**Survey respondents indicated having the opportunity to interact with other students was another key element in the experience being labeled as “fun.”** MJB described a class on creative training techniques as fun, interactive and engaging. . The setting was in round table with easy access to others to interact with. The learning was active, with games, and lively discussion.

3.	**Survey respondents indicated that a self paced learning environment is highly desirable when considering a “fun” learning experience.**   Fiber One describes a self directed tour of an aquarium that offered optional interactive activities teaching about the different plants and animals. Actual hands-on tide pools, models of the skin of different marine life, computer kiosks with interactive information and a marine documentary available were all available if you were interested in learning more about the exhibits.

4.	 **Adult learners surveyed indicate that having the opportunity to think critically was an important element in creating a “fun” learning environment.**   Dancer enjoys the opportunity she has to talk and share advice with each other, critically analyze problems and to try to come up with solutions during her church prayer group. Discussing ways to apply the teachings in the prayer group to our lives is helpful.

**5. Survey respondents indicated that learning that is useful and/ or relevant is more engaging and fun** Mrs.bee said when learning personality types she had lots of fun. She said the instructor would repeat the same scenario and would tell how each of the four personalities would behave in the situation. "It was very funny and very relevant because we all knew people with each personality type"

Learners are more engaged when they are having fun. Engaging in passive learning is often perceived as boring consequently decreasing learner engagement. Active learning on the other hand is more interactive and perceived often times as more fun. Therefore as instructional designers, it is important to design curriculum that facilitates an active learning environment. It is important to evaluate what is being cited as boring and discover the underlying cause. A system of evaluation is essential to discover if it is the design of instruction, the delivery of the facilitator, the environment, the student or a combination of factor that are impacting the learning.
 * Implications**

In addition, I couldn’t help but make a connection between learning styles and participant’s reaction to what is considered either fun or boring. When designing instruction we must keep in mind the visual, verbal and tactile learner at all times and design instruction that will incorporate activities that will accommodate all learning styles.

Learners are less engaged when they are bored. The data collected reveals that lecture was often cited as boring. If lecture is an essential part of a course then limiting the length of lecture at any one time and incorporating activities that allow participants to interact with the learning environment will reinforce the content, accommodate for varied learning styles, increase participant engagement and therefore raise the perception of fun.

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